What is the old adage about never performing with children or animals? With our Strolling Theatre production of Louisa’s Walk, we don’t have a lot of control over our environment and Spring seems to be throwing a few distractions our way. A few days ago we had a large group of girls who were visiting from Western Australia for the Tournament of the Minds competition which was hosted here in Hobart this year. They were a lovely group and they were really interested in Louisa’s story but I nearly lost them when ten dear little ducklings started skimming around the pond in pursuit of their mother!
Recently too, there have been some New Zealand bumble bees causing a fair bit of distraction in the Orlop Deck! This deck is where, on our imaginary journey out to Van Diemens Land, we crowd down to the lowest deck of our transportation ship where convicts are housed. In reality we come down some steps in the lovely Cascade Gardens and crowd into a narrow passage which just happens to be, at this time of year, blooming with yellow azalea flowers. These flowers are attracting the bumble bees (I am told they have arrived from New Zealand but if I am wrong please correct me!) Our audience members seem fascinated by these large, furry insects and today I deliberately turned Louisa around so I would keep their attention!
As we finish Louisa’s Walk at the top of the Cascade Gardens there are some more lovely azaleas, starting to lose their vibrant colours now. Today, we saw lurking amongst them, one of the many black rabbits that inhabit both the Cascade Gardens and the adjacent Cascade Visitor Centre 
Gardens. A delightful distraction!
Bumble Bees distract us on Louisa's Walk
